Label mapping is the translation step that converts email labels or folders from one provider into the equivalent structure in another provider during migration. Because mail systems do not all organize messages the same way, a migration tool has to decide whether a Gmail label becomes a folder, a tag, or a nested mailbox item on the destination side.
This matters in cyber security because migrations often involve privileged access to a live account. If label mapping is wrong, sensitive mail can end up in the wrong place, be missed by defenders, or lose the context needed for audits and incident response. In real operations, admins test sample imports, review the mapping rules, and verify that important folders such as spam, sent mail, and archived mail are preserved correctly. Good mapping helps continuity; poor mapping can create data loss, confusion, or accidental exposure.